All That I've Got
by foreverasleep14
Summary: Remus Lupin's daughter, Riley Lupin, is a compassionate person at heart, but shows no mercy to those who insult her. When Draco comes across her compartment by accident, he finds that she was the perfect person to help him get over what happened in his 6
1. Chapter 1

There was a fire crackling merrily in the hearth, providing plenty of heat for the small room. In it, there was an old armchair with a matching sofa. The rugs that covered most of the old beaten floor were worn and dirty. The kitchen was shabby as well, but kept clean by Riley Lupin. She was going into her seventh year of Hogwarts, and wasn't really looking forward to it. Hogwarts would never be the same without Dumbledore. Her father and his new girlfriend, Tonks, went to the funeral together, and Riley went with Cho, but she graduated.

Riley was an only child who lived with her father, Remus Lupin. She never got to meet her mother, who had presumably died. Of course, being the child of Remus Lupin, she was half werewolf. During the full moon, there are two different things that could happen. She could transform fully and be completely calm without having to take the potion her father takes, or she would remain human, but have the behavior of a werewolf. It was random, never the same pattern over each year. But, Remus took the safe road with his daughter and had her take the potion just in case.

Riley was in her room, one of the three in the house, getting ready to leave for her last year at Hogwarts. Her father was out on business for the Order, and Tonks was sniffing out the trail of a Death Eater. It was a blessing that Riley was legally able to Apparate. She checked her watch, and it read ten o'clock. She would have to leave soon if she wanted to get a compartment to herself.

Double-checking to make sure she didn't forget anything, she saw something glint on the floor. She backed up, curious, and it glinted again. She walked over to the glint and found a dust covered ring that had the look about it that said it had been there for years. She blew the dust from it and inspected it closely. It was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. It was silver with a large emerald in between two smaller diamonds. She tried fitting it on her right hand fingers, but it was either too big or too small. Remembering that her left hand was smaller than her right, she tried sliding it on each finger on her left hand. Thumb, too small. Index finger, too small. Middle finger, a little too tight to be comfortable. Ring finger, perfect fit. Almost as if it was made just for her. She held her hand out, seeing what it looked like at a distance. Gorgeous.

She slammed her trunk shut and dragged it to the small living room. She doused the fire and checked the entire house to make sure every candle was out. On the desk beside the door were key and a note. She pocketed the key and read the note.

_Riley_

_This is a key to the house. If anything bad happens, come back here immediately. I know it will be hard to have a good term without Dumbledore, but Minerva will run Hogwarts well. Tell Harry hello for me, and keep out of trouble. You are more like your mother than you may believe. _

_Love,_

_Dad and Tonks_

Riley snorted at his last sentence. Apparently, her mother was quite the troublemaker. Riley never meant to get into trouble, it just followed her everywhere. Or maybe she took it with her on a leash…

There was a special room in the house designated for Apparating and Disapparating. She had Disapparated and Apparated to and from that spot enough to know that she wouldn't splinch herself. Before Apparating onto Platform nine and three quarters she darted over to the mirror to check how she looked. The straight dirty blonde hair that went just below her shoulders wasn't disarrayed, and the black eyeliner that went around eyes that matched silver on her new ring wasn't smudged. She walked back over to her trunk, grabbed a hold of it and concentrated on the room around her and Platform nine and three quarters, then that strange feeling of being sucked through a rubber pipe came. In a matter of seconds she was surrounded by parents saying goodbye to their children. There weren't many of them, but more were showing up every minute.

Riley pulled her trunk onto the train and set out to find a good compartment. After a few minutes searching, she settled on an empty compartment surrounded by more empty compartments. She was friends with Charlotte Webb, a Ravenclaw in her year, but she had too many giggly girls around her for Riley to stay sane enough to be among humans. She preferred the quiet, but preferred to be around people rather than to be alone. Instead of waiting until the last minute to put on her school robes, she flipped her trunk open and pulled out a pair of old robes that used to be her mother's. She was in Ravenclaw, same as Riley. She threw them on and sat back down, waiting for the train to get moving.

Riley had heard all about what happened the year before. Draco Malfoy had tried to kill Dumbledore, but couldn't. He snuck Death Eaters into the castle and was in the service of You-Know-Who. She respected the fact he didn't kill Dumbledore, but everything else was reason enough not to like him at all. She took to staring out of the glass into the aisle, watching students walk by. She saw Pansy Parkinson walk by, followed by Crabbe and Goyle. Blaise Zabini soon walked by and Riley expected Draco to be next. No Draco, not even once the train started moving. That was odd; didn't he hang out with those goons? _Maybe he isn't coming back…_she thought, but she just shrugged. Since the train was already moving, she dug her cloak out of her trunk, threw it over her and stretched out her legs on the seats. She pulled up the hood of the cloak, concealing her face from the passerby, and also keeping her from seeing them.

The door to the compartment slid open to admit someone who was panting, and shut it just as quickly as they opened it.

"Alright if I join you? Nowhere else is open," asked a voice, low, which meant it was a boy.

"Sure," said Riley, not bothering to lift her hood to see who it was. She didn't really mind, so long as he didn't talk too much. She heard him sit down across from her.

"Who are you?" the voice asked, and Riley turned her head to face where the voice had come from.

"Riley Lupin, and who might you be?" she asked bitterly. Maybe he _was_ a talker.

"I didn't think that werewolf had a daughter," said the voice, somehow sounding miserable and arrogant at the same time.

"Well, I guess he did, didn't he? Now if you please, tell me your name," she said with fake respect. Anyone who called her father "werewolf" obviously didn't like him.

"Draco Malfoy, if you must know," he said, and Riley was rooted to the spot.

"I thought you ran away with that bloody traitor," Riley sneered. He deserved no respect from her. He would never have it.

"Are you a Slytherin?" he asked, sounding taken aback.

"Hell no, I'm a Ravenclaw," she answered, and she heard him sigh.

"Can you keep a secret?" Draco asked quietly, and Riley decided this was the right time to show her face. Lowering her hood, she looked straight into his eyes.

"Of course I can," she answered, trying not to sound rude.

The way Draco looked almost shocked her. He didn't have that annoying smirk on his face, and he didn't have that air of arrogance about him. He looked terrible, as if he hadn't gotten a good night's sleep for months.

"Are you alright?" she asked, concerned. Okay, she would never admit it, but compassion was in her nature, regardless of who she showed it to.

"To tell the truth, no," he said, head in his hands. Looking up at her, he sighed.

"What's wrong, then? It's alright, I won't tell a single soul…I've no one to tell," she said, chuckling, trying to lighten the mood a little. It didn't work.

"He was going to kill me and my entire family…if I failed…I couldn't do it, I just couldn't," he said, sounding as miserable as ever. "Then to add onto it, Potter caught me in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom…at my weakest point, unfortunately," he said, a touch of anger in his voice. "I didn't want to kill him, damn it! Why won't anyone believe it?"

"I believe it, Draco. If Dumbledore didn't believe you were a killer, then I don't believe it either," she said, her comforting nature coming out to its fullest. She leaned towards him and took his hand. Without even thinking she started stroking it, trying to comfort someone who didn't even know her. He looked very shocked that anyone could care more than a stitch about him.

Everything that happened in his sixth year haunted him, day and night. Pansy would never understand. She was far too ditzy. Crabbe and Goyle were just too stupid to get it. Blaise kept trying to reassure him that he should be proud to have had the opportunity to follow the Dark Lord's orders.

He needed someone who would listen. Anyone. Someone who wouldn't judge him on the spot and someone who didn't know the arrogant, prideful Draco Malfoy. Once the train started moving and he was positive that Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise already had a compartment, he walked down the aisle, trying to find an empty compartment to himself, but he was out of luck there. He spotted a compartment with only one person in it, unsure of whether they were a boy or a girl. Well, whatever it was, it was cloaked and already in its robes. He saw Pansy emerge from a compartment, and hurriedly opened the compartment door. He closed it just as quickly and pressed himself to the wall, waiting for them to pass.

"Alright if I join you? Everywhere else is taken," he said. That was a close call.

"Sure," said the figure. It had to be a girl by the voice. Perfect, girls understood everything.

"Who are you?" he asked, and the hooded girl looked in his direction.

"Riley Lupin, and who might you be?" she asked more bitterly than he had expected. Maybe she was having a bad day.

"I didn't think that werewolf had a daughter," he thought aloud, regretting it immediately.

"Well, I guess he did, didn't he? Now if you please, tell me your name," she said, sounding even bitterer than before. Insulting her dad was the wrong thing to do.

"Draco Malfoy, if you must know," he answered, and she froze. Oh no…

"I thought you ran away with that bloody traitor?" she sneered at him, and he blinked.

"Are you a Slytherin?" he blurted, assuming that anyone with an attitude like that had to be placed in Slytherin.

"Hell no, I'm a Ravenclaw," she said, in the same tone of voice as before. Maybe she didn't want to help him, but there was no harm in asking.

"Can you keep a secret?" he asked quietly. His voice must have hit home for her. She lowered her hood to reveal her face, and she was prettier than he thought she would be.

"Of course I can," she said, softer than butter. She had the most gorgeous silver eyes he had ever seen. The _only_ silver eyes he had ever seen.

Draco couldn't tell whether she pitied him or if she wanted to help, but sadness filled her eyes when she saw him.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice swimming in compassion. Yes, this girl would be able to help him.

"To tell the truth, no," he set his head in his hands, but looked back up at her.

"What's wrong, then? It's alright, I won't tell a single soul…I've no one to tell," she said, and she chuckled, trying to lighten things up.

"He was going to kill me and my entire family…if I failed…I couldn't do it, I just couldn't," he said, sounding as miserable as ever. "Then to add onto it, Potter caught me in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom…at my weakest point, unfortunately," he said, a touch of anger in his voice. "I didn't want to kill him, damn it! Why won't anyone believe it?" He could barely believe he was letting her know all of this. He felt a lump in his throat, but forced it away. He was already spilling everything to this girl he didn't even know, the last thing he was going to do was cry in front of her. Potter was bad enough, and that had to be the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to Draco Malfoy. Closely followed by being turned into a ferret by that insane Mad-Eye Moody they had for a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

"I believe it, Draco. If Dumbledore didn't believe you were a killer, then I don't believe it either," she said, her voice sounding like it was _made_ to comfort people. He was staring at his lap, and he felt her take his hand and hold it between hers, rubbing it with her thumbs. He started to wonder how someone who didn't even know him could care so much…

Riley felt so bad for him, he had to deal with all of that, and he was only seventeen. Being forced to do You-Know-Who's dirty work. Her main problem was that she took everything just a little too personally. To her, caring about someone who no one else cared about was just as important as caring about herself. There was a special place inside of her that was just for people no one else cared whether or not they died, or that they were having a hard time. She knew that she would want someone to be there when she was having a bad day, so why shouldn't she be there for those who didn't have anyone else? Like Draco, he had no one…she couldn't even begin to wonder what he had been through. Being forced to kill Dumbledore or else you and your family die…she would be there for him, whether or not she liked him at all. She had no one else either, with her father being the only living relative and he was gone all of time. Tonks was gone all the time as well. Maybe if she was there for him, he would be there for her.

She got up and sat next to him, the shocked look still on his face.

"How can you even care at all? I don't get it, Riley…" said Draco, clearly amazed at this act of kindness toward him.

"I know I wouldn't want to be all alone, with no one to go to when I am weak…I can already see that you have no one to go to, or else you wouldn't be in here right now. Compassion is in my nature, Draco. Just yesterday I was like everyone else…you were evil and a murderer at heart. Now that I see you…everything changed. You look as if you haven't had a decent night's sleep in months, and you look miserable…" said Riley, pushing his blonde bangs out of his eyes, smiling.

What happened next shocked Riley as much as being nice shocked Draco. He pulled her into a hug.

"Where have you been all last year?" he asked, still hugging her. When they broke apart, she answered him.

"Where I've always been; hiding away in Hogwarts, trying to find a purpose."

For the rest of the trip, they traded information about each other, getting along better and better the more they found out about each other. Draco was quite the character in Riley's eyes, and loved his bad boy attitude. Not that she loved Draco himself, just the attitude. Two people who were completely alone somehow ran into each other and kept the other company. Riley told Draco more about herself than she had to anyone, and she was sure he told her more than he had told anyone else as well.

"Wow, is the train stopping already?" Riley asked, looking out into the black night.

"I think it is…" said Draco, definitely happier than he was when he first walked into her compartment.

"Oh no! Merlin! It's a full moon!" shouted Riley, pretending to freak out.

"What? Oh! Please don't eat me!" yelled Draco, shielding himself from her. When she burst into laughter, he socked her in the shoulder.

"Hey! What was that for? You're stronger than you think you are, that hurt you arse!" she said, rubbing her shoulder.

"Want me to kiss it and make it feel all better?" he asked, puckering his lips.

"Ew, no way, that'll make it worse!" joked Riley, protecting her shoulder from his face. He kissed it anyway.

"AH! My arm is going to rot off now, thanks Draco!" she shouted, hitting him on the leg.

When the train finally stopped at Hogsmeade station, they gathered their things and found a carriage. Riley pretended her arm was rotting off on the ride up to the castle, and Draco was pretending to sound sorry about it. The thestrals came to a stop at the foot of the stairs that led to the castle. People were staring at Draco, obviously wondering what he was doing back at Hogwarts. Riley saw Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise spot she and Draco, and came over to them.

"Draco my love, what are doing with this…_thing_?" asked Pansy, looking Riley up and down. Oh, that was the wrong thing to say…

Riley couldn't stop her fist before it collided with Pansy's nose, making a sickening crack. She either broke Pansy's nose or her knuckles. Probably both with her luck.

"Don't you _ever_ call me a "thing" again, unless you want a broken jaw to go with that nose!" yelled Riley, drawing the entire school's eyes. Pansy's face was a bloody mess, and she was crying. Blaise was wide-eyed, and Crabbe and Goyle were tending to Pansy. Draco's eyebrows were raised, an amused smirk on his face.

"Compassionate my arse," he said, laughing. Riley was shaking with fury, but fury plummeted into a feeling of knowing she was in deep trouble when she saw the Headmistress, Professor McGonagall. Riley smacked her forehead and sighed. This wasn't the first time she punched a student.

"Miss Lupin, what in Merlin's name happened here?" she asked, spotting Pansy's bloody nose and Riley's black and purple knuckles.

"She called me a "thing"," said Riley, and McGonagall shook her head slightly.

"That is no excuse to break her nose, Miss Lupin…"

"It's a perfectly good reason. She would have gotten onto the subject of my…half-werewolf heritage, and taunted my father…so I stopped her before she could, and now she won't do it again," explained Riley, trying to make perfect sense.

"Detention with Filch, I'm afraid. One week, and I'm sure there will be plenty for you to do, Miss Lupin," said the Headmistress, heading to Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle. Riley made an aggravated noise, and Draco pattered her on the shoulder.

"At least she won't do it again," he said, trying to point out the positives of this situation.

"I bet she will…I did it to her last year too," she said, inspecting her right knuckles. They were probably broken, but she wasn't going to the hospital wing for a couple of broken knuckles.

"You should go to the hospital wing," said Draco, staring at her purple knuckles.

"It's not worth Madame Pomfrey's time, they'll heal on their own," she said, trying to flex them.

"I don't quite understand how you can be so nice to me and help me, and somehow manage to be cruel to people who insult you," said Draco, perplexed. They headed up the stairs and followed the rest of the students to the Great Hall.

"You didn't insult me, Draco, or else you would have suffered the same fate," she said savagely, still in a rotten mood from earlier. Riley saw Harry, Ron and Hermione staring at her, and she smiled.

"Give me a second Draco, I have to tell Harry something," she said, leaving his side.

"Hey Riley!" said Harry, grinning. His grin nearly made her trip. She'd been crushing on Harry forever.

"Hi Harry, have a nice summer?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Nice performance," he said, laughing. Riley blushed.

"It was worth a couple broken knuckles. My dad says hello to all of you, but I better get back to Draco," she said, remembering that she just left him standing there.

"What? Draco! What are you doing with him, Riley?" asked Hermione, concern on her face.

"He came into my compartment on the train, in need of someone to talk to," she said, eyeing them all suspiciously.

"You and your concern for certain situations, you need to get a new personality," joked Harry and she laughed.

"I'll see you all later, okay?" said Riley, waving to them as she walked back over to Draco.

"Bye Riley!"

She walked back over to Draco, who had a look of complete loathing on his face.

"What's with you?" she asked, puzzled. She knew Draco didn't like Harry, but she didn't know the degree of it.

"Nothing," he said, wiping the look off of his face, replacing it with a small grin. They parted once Draco took his place at the Slytherin table and Riley at the Ravenclaw table. Charlotte immediately spotted her and beckoned her over. Smiling, Riley joined them.

"Nice punch, Riley," said Charlotte, and all the other girls agreed a little too enthusiastically. Charlotte frowned at them, and continued to talk to Riley.

"I guess everyone knows that I messed up Pansy's face; again," said Riley, laughing.

"There was something I noticed that no one else did; what were you doing with Draco? I saw you get off the train with him, laughing and enjoying time spent with him. What happened that made you two best chums all of a sudden?" Charlotte asked, curious.

"I can't tell you, I promised him I wouldn't tell a single soul," Riley said, surprised that anyone even noticed. Charlotte nodded in defeat, and the mob of Ravenclaw girls started chatting merrily again.

McGonagall brought out the new first years to be sorted, and once that was finished she gave the beginning of the year speech.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, first years, and welcome back to our other students. The passing of Albus Dumbledore has saddened us all, but I know he would wish for us all to enjoy our lives. Now, I shall introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, who I am glad to welcome back, Remus Lupin." Riley stood up and saw her father standing as well. He waved to the crowd of students, and smiled at his daughter. She sat down, and began to think. _Why didn't he tell me he was coming back?_

The feast began, and everyone started eating. Once Riley was stuffed to the exploding point, she walked up to the staff table to say hello to her father.

"Dad!" she yelled over the noise in the Great Hall, and he stopped his conversation with Hagrid. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming back to Hogwarts?"

"I thought I'd surprise you," he said, and she went behind the table to hug him.

"I haven't seen you for weeks," she said, sighing.

"I've been here, getting lessons prepared for the first few months of school. I hear you've already gotten into trouble and you haven't even been here for two hours," he said, holding her at an arm's length.

"Yeah…" she said, looking down at her shoes.

"What did you do?" he asked, and she sighed.

"I punched Pansy Parkinson in the nose," she mumbled, and to her surprise her father chuckled.

"I should have known. A cross between your mother and I was bound to be a trouble maker," he said, taking Riley's right hand to look at it. She gave her father one last hug before going to visit Draco at the Slytherin table.

She saw him sitting away from the rest of the Slytherins, save his usual crowd that he wanted to get away from.

"Hi Draco," she said, taking a seat beside him. On the other side of him sat Pansy, nose looking like it did before Riley broke it.

"It looks like your father is teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again," he said, indicating the staff table.

"Yeah, he is…he never told me, so it was quite the shock when McGonagall announced it," said Riley, peering across Draco to get a good look at Pansy. Riley smiled at her; well, it was more baring her teeth at her.

"Hey Riley, can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Pansy asked with a fake smile on her face.

"Sure Pansy," she said, getting up. Draco gave her a skeptical look, and she smiled evilly.

Pansy took her far enough away so no one could see them or hear them and glared at her.

"You stay away from _my_ Draco, you filth!" she shouted, fists on her hips.

"It's hard to stay away from him when he wants to be around me, Parkinson," Riley said smartly, arms folded across her chest.

"He doesn't want to be around you, half-breed," Pansy said nastily, starting to get uneasy.

"Then why did he kiss me when we were on the train, and in the carriage?" Riley lied and Pansy looked livid. She was totally speechless, unable to speak after Riley's comment.

Riley smirked and walked back to the Slytherin table, taking her place at Draco's side.

"What did you do to her?" he asked curiously, and Riley just smiled.

"If she asks, we kissed in the compartment on the train and in the carriage," said Riley, and Draco raised an eyebrow.

"But we didn't," he said, and she grinned.

"Pansy doesn't know that."

Just as Riley spoke, Pansy emerged from around the corner, face expressionless.

"I'm beginning to wonder why you weren't placed in Slytherin," said Draco, suppressing laughter.

"I'm too smart to be in Slytherin, so the hat put me in Ravenclaw," said Riley.

"Granger is a know-it-all, but she's in Gryffindor," argued Draco, making a point.

"But look at her though. She's been through all sorts of things with Harry, which makes her brave, so that's why she's in Gryffindor instead of Ravenclaw," Riley pointed out, but Draco was right with her on it.

"But you're a cunning bitch, so shouldn't you be in Slytherin?"

"Point taken."


	2. Chapter 2

The food disappeared from the tables and the students started filtering out of the Great Hall. Draco had to go and usher the new first year Slytherins to their common room, so Riley followed a gathering of Ravenclaws to the Ravenclaw common room. She was pretty sure that she wouldn't have too many classes for her N.E.W.T year, but she wanted to get plenty of rest. She wanted to have plenty of options for her future, but she only wanted to take Charms, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions. Only four classes a day would give her loads of free time to do whatever she wanted and plenty of time for homework. Riley had no control over when she was to have the classes, but she would get to start late in the morning and get done in the early afternoon. Two before lunch and two after. To Riley, it was perfect.

Once she reached the common room, she immediately claimed her favorite chair. There was a small group of first years gathered in a corner, chattering excitedly, shooting her looks of awe and pointing. She smiled and waved at them, and one of them jumped. Eventually, they mustered up the courage to talk to her.

"Are y-you r-really part w-w-werewolf?" one of them asked, and all of them smiled. She took special care in getting really close to them before answering.

"Yes," she said, and they all gasped in unison. "So watch it on the full moon, I might come and get you…"

All but one of the first years darted away. It was a little girl, and she didn't even look scared.

"You're lying," she said, arms folded.

"What makes you think that?"

"Werewolves aren't allowed in Hogwarts," she said, sounding like she knew more than anyone.

"Have you heard of a man named Albus Dumbledore?" Riley asked, getting slightly agitated.

"Yes, they say he was the best Headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen," she said, trying to be smart again.

"I knew him, and so did my father, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. You know Harry Potter? He's a good friend of mine, and he'll tell you Professor Lupin is the best werewolf ever, and his daughter is the best half werewolf ever," said Riley, and the girl got wide-eyed.

"Y-You know Harry P-Potter?" she stuttered, clearly amazed.

"Of course I do, we've been friends since first year…do you want to meet him?" Riley asked, smiling. The little girl nodded excitedly.

"Then find me in the common room tomorrow morning and I'll take you down to breakfast to introduce you," she said, patting the little girl on the head. "Now, go and get some sleep. I don't think you want to be sleepy and tired when he first sees you."

The girl ran up the stairs to the girls' dormitories and Riley chuckled. First years were so fun to mess with. Harry would find it amusing.

Harry and Ron were sitting in the two squashy armchairs and Hermione was sitting with her back to the fire on the floor in the Gryffindor common room. Harry was deep in thought, trying to make a decision. _Why does Riley have to like Draco?_

"Harry, are you alright?" asked Hermione, spotting the saddened look on Harry's face.

"Still haven't gotten over her have you, mate?" asked Ron, joining in on the conversation.

"No," Harry said miserably. Why did she do this to him? He's liked her all summer, but she didn't catch on.

"I think you should tell her," said Hermione, but Harry shook his head.

"I know she doesn't like me, Hermione...I'll just get shot down and..." said Harry, but Hermione cut him off.

"If you keep thinking that, then that's what will happen. Just tell her how you feel about her, I'm sure she'll understand. She's just like Lupin, she _is_ his daughter after all," said Hermione and Harry sighed.

"Just do it. I bet she fancies you as well," said Ron, trying to reassure him.

"No, she fancies Malfoy," Harry said bitterly and Hermione stared at her lap.

"I was beginning to think that, but it didn't look like she fancied him. She just wants to help him, you know her, Harry. She can't help it. Malfoy came across the right person to help him out, even if he doesn't deserve it. She's not his type anyway," explained Hermione, and Harry nodded. He stood up and went to the boys' dormitories to get some sleep before he told Riley he liked her. A lot. That is, if he would be able to sleep.

Draco stared up at the green canopy of his four-poster bed, hands laced behind his head. It had to be getting close to midnight, and he hadn't gotten a drop of sleep. Riley was unlike anyone he had ever met in his life. She stuck up for herself, but was the nicest person he had ever met. She was everything that he wasn't, yet she was just like him. He thought no one would understand anything, but she listened, and understood. He unlaced his hands and held up the one that she touched and smiled. Good thing it was dark, or else he would have to curse whoever was staring at him funny.

He would have to talk with her tomorrow morning. There were more things that he would have to tell her, things he couldn't get into detail with on the train. If she knew anything at all, she would have to know everything down to his last feeling. Hopefully, he won't ever have to tell her he loves her. Of course he doesn't now, but Draco had the feeling that it was a possibility.

Riley woke up earlier than normal, unable to fall back asleep. She grabbed clean robes and uniform, threw them on and went into the bathroom. The black eyeliner from the day before was smudged around her eyes, making it look like she was dead. She washed it off and decided not to wear make-up. While brushing her hair, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her ring glinted in the candle light, and her silver eyes looked dull, like they always did when she was tired or sad. She walked back to her bed, grabbed her black and blue striped tie, and put on a pair of shoes. She tossed her book bag over her shoulder, and she tied her tie while she walked down the stairs to the common room. Once she reached her bottom of the stairs, she spotted the little girl she promised to introduce to Harry waiting for her on the couch.

"He won't be at breakfast for a little while, so we'll go down to breakfast in thirty minutes okay?" said Riley, and the little girl nodded. She sat down next to the girl and decided to talk to her, since she was the only one down in the common room.

"So what's your name?" Riley asked.

"Ashley Flatblade," she answered.

"So what are you?"

"Huh?" asked the girl, confused.

"Oh, I keep forgetting first years don't know things like this yet. Are you Muggle-born, half and half, or a Pure-blood?" asked Riley, getting things straight.

"What's a Muggle-born?"

"When both of your parents are non-magical folk," explained Riley, and the little girl nodded.

"That's me," she said, and Riley smiled.

"I'm three quarters witch. One of my parents is a pure-blood, and the other was half…but it's none of your business which is which," said Riley when the girl looked like she was going to ask a question.

People began to come down into the common room, looking drowsy. Once more than half of the Ravenclaws were out of their dormitories and into the common room, she decided to take Ashley to meet Harry.

"Come on Ashley, we can go down to breakfast now," said Riley, nudging her. Ashley jumped up, face practically glowing with excitement. Just before they exited through the portrait hole, Riley caught her sticking her tongue out at her friends.

When they reached the Great Hall, Riley spotted Harry walking over to the Gryffindor table, yawning. Hermione was already sitting, and Ron followed just behind Harry. Ashley looked like she was going to faint.

"Harry!" Riley called, and Harry looked around. He spotted the source of the noise, and grinned broadly.

"Morning Riley," he said, stretching.

"Harry, I'd like you to meet Ashley Flatblade...she's a first year, and she wanted to meet you, so here she is," said Riley, and Harry had an amused smile on his face.

"Hi Ashley," he said, and Ashley's jaw dropped.

"H-Hi," she said shakily.

"There's no need to be nervous, Ashley. Why don't you come over here and say hi to my friends Hermione and Ron?" Harry asked, giving Riley a smile. A very nice smile. Riley thought she was going to melt on the spot. Ashley nodded excitedly, and Harry grabbed her hand and led her to where he, Ron and Hermione were sitting. Ron's ears turned slightly pink when the little girl started talking to him, and Hermione looked like she was enjoying her company. Harry looked like he was trying to suppress laughter.

Riley left Ashley to talk with Harry and walked over to the Ravenclaw table. She sat down and put some food on her plate. A tall figure sat next to her, and she caught a waft of cologne. Not too strong, but not too faint either; she saw the white blonde hair and immediately knew it was Draco. He smelled really good...

"Good morning," she said, beginning to eat her breakfast.

"Do you know your schedule yet? I need to talk to you again," he said, sounding desperate.

"Almost, here comes the Head Girl," said Riley, and the girl handed Riley her schedule. She also handed Draco his, and he snatched it from her. Riley peered over his shoulder, getting a look at his schedule. It was the same, but almost all of the seventh years would be in the same classes.

"Looks like we have the same classes," said Riley, and Draco looked relieved.

"Once the first classes start, I'll take you to a place I went to...all last year..." he said, staring at the tabletop. The Great Hall was filling up, and Draco stood up.

"Meet me back at the Slytherin table," he said, and hugged her. "I would really be a mess without you."

Riley couldn't explain the butterflies in her stomach when he hugged her, but she shrugged it off. She finished her breakfast, and was sipping at her pumpkin juice when another person came and sat next to her.

"Hey Riley," said Harry's voice.

"What's up, Harry?" Riley asked, smiling at him. She could seriously get lost in those bright green eyes.

"I...um, wanted to talk to you about something..." he began, sounding nervous.

"What is it?" she asked, almost in a daze.

"Are you and Draco, you know, dating?" he asked, and Riley blushed.

"No, of course not. I'm just helping him," she answered, and Harry nodded.

"Oh...okay...then I wanted to tell you that...I um..." he stopped when the bell rang, and Riley smiled.

"That's the bell, Harry. Can you tell me later?" she asked, and he nodded, looking sullen. In an attempt to cheer him up a little, she pulled him into a hug. She had to take special care to actually let go, and waved goodbye. She walked over to meet Draco at the Slytherin table, and he was sitting there all by himself. He saw her and got up to meet her.

"Come on, follow me," he said, and he started walking at a quick pace. Riley nearly had to jog to keep up with him. They kept going up flights of stairs until Riley was sure they were on the sixth or seventh floor. He took her through a part of the castle she had never been in, and stopped before a long stretch of empty wall.

"Now, walk by this empty space three times, concentrating hard on what you need," he said, and she nodded. Walking back and forth, concentrating hard, Riley wondered what in the world this was supposed to do. Suddenly a door appeared that definitely wasn't there earlier. She opened it, and inside was everything that she needed. Scented candles, comfy chairs and anything else she could possibly ask for to do what she did best. Soothing music was playing from nowhere, and she beckoned Draco over.

"Will this work?" she asked, smiling; something that she seemed to be doing a lot of around Harry and Draco.

"It's perfect," he said, walking inside. Riley closed the door behind him and watched him sit down in the loveseat. There was a chair across from it, and she sat in it.

"Now, what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

He told her everything. The planning, the failed attempts to kill Dumbledore. He even told her how many times _crucio_ was used on him, and things that nearly brought him to tears just remembering them. She was sitting next to him now, rubbing his back with one hand and holding his hand with the other. She looked on the verge of tears herself.

"Draco, I can't believe how much has happened to you...you're only seventeen," said Riley, voice quivering.

"How is it that my past affecting you as much as it's affecting me?" asked Draco, still amazed by her.

"I put myself in your shoes...and I..." she began, but the rest was replaced with her weeping. He scooted closer to her and held her, letting her cry on his shoulder. She had very silky hair...

"I'm sorry, I just...will he come after you?" Riley asked quietly, resting her head on his chest.

"It's a possibility," he answered, and she let a few tears fall down her face. He stroked her hair, keeping it out of her face.

Riley didn't know what came over her. She cared about people who had no one else, but not this much. There was something about Draco...it almost seemed that if he was gone, a piece of her would disappear. Just hearing his memories of being cursed and being in such immense pain it was almost unbearable made her want to scream, but she just met him yesterday...everyone else she ever cared about she had known for months, even years. Not even then did they get her in a state like this. She felt bad for Draco the moment she saw him, and wanted to help him before she even knew him.

It felt like she had known him her entire life, even though they had never even met. The instant her eyes met his, it was as if something clicked. Maybe the loneliness he had endured was worse; he had been alone all sixth year, the fate of his family resting on his shoulders. Or could it be that it was the evil of it all? She moved herself away from Draco, and he spotted her ring.

"Where did you get that?" he asked, picking up her hand to look at it.

"Oh, that. I found it in my room...that's the only finger it fits on," explained Riley, and he set her hand back down.

"Can I see it for a minute?" he asked, and she nodded, taking off the ring. What did he see in that ring that she didn't?

He turned to face away from her, and dug his hand into his pocket and pulled something out. He began muttering to himself, pulling more things out of his pocket. What in the world was he doing?

She moved herself away from him, and Draco saw a ring on her left ring finger.

"Where did you get that?" he asked, trying not to sound too anxious. He took her left hand to inspect the ring and had to fix his face to stay calm. _Oh Merlin, I didn't think that..._

"Oh, that. I found it in my room...that's the only finger it fits on," Riley explained, and Draco set her hand back down.

"Can I see it for a minute?" he asked, trying to contain his enthusiasm. She nodded, and handed him the ring once she took it off.

He turned away from her and pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket. It was a verification process, to prove that this was the ring. He held it up to every last picture and it was a perfect match, every time. That could just be coincidence. He pulled out another piece of parchment, much smaller than the last. It was a spell he put on it to make sure it was really the one he was looking for. The memory was still fresh in his mind.

_He was bowing down, and when he caught sight of the hem of the Dark Lord's robes he held his breath. He was going to die, and so was the rest of his family. But the Dark Lord said something that surprised Draco._

_"You have failed, Draco," he said, and Draco's heartbeat doubled._

_"I am sorry, master..." said Draco, unable to say anything else. _

_"You know the penalty for failure," said the Dark Lord, and Draco nodded._

_"Yes, master."_

_"But the mission was completed; Dumbledore is dead, even if it wasn't by your hand," he said bitterly, and Draco felt a glimmer of hope. _

_"Because the operation was finished, I will not kill you," Draco nearly sighed with relief, "instead, I have planted a ring in a random house. A girl whom you will not know, and eventually come to hate will find this ring, and wear it on her left ring finger. She may appear everything you have ever wanted, and help you in all the right ways, but she will put you through more pain than death could ever cause you."_

_It didn't seem so bad, but he didn't doubt a word the Dark Lord said. He wouldn't._

_"Here are tools you can use to determine if the ring you find is the real one. It will be wrought in silver, with an emerald resting between two diamonds," he said, and dropped two pieces of parchment in front of Draco's face. What could be so bad about going through some girl troubles?_

_"There's something else I should tell you before you try and find her," he said, sounding as horrifying as ever, "I will know the moment you know, and once you perform the spell you will receive a letter...not only will this girl cause you unimaginable pain, you will be bound together by the heart and you will feel for her like you would a wife, but she will be unaware until you can charm her into marrying you...the spell will trigger the feelings, and the letter will explain everything else...don't tell her a single thing, or I will have you and your family killed...slowly. Oh yes, and if you decide to abandon this punishment, you will be all alone...forever until you find her." He swept away, cackling. _

Draco took a deep breath before performing the spell on the ring, but he knew he had to do it. He muttered the incantation written on the small piece of parchment, and feelings like he couldn't imagine flooded through him, and he shoved the parchment pieces back into his pocket and turned around to face Riley. Her eyes were bloodshot, and concern was etched on her face. He thought he could have stared at her all day. He slid the ring back onto her left ring finger and very grudgingly stopped himself from kissing her.

"What did you do?" she asked, smiling.

"Oh, I was just checking to see if the jewels in that ring were real...they are, to let you know..." he said, smiling back at her like he did when he got to experience Christmas for the first time. He never thought he would smile like that ever again. The bell rang, signaling the end of first period, which meant they only have forty-five minutes before their first class began.

"Well, I better be off. I have other people to talk to, Draco, don't look at me like that," said Riley when Draco gave her a pleading look.

"Can I at least come with?" he asked, all but begging on his hands and knees. He just wanted to be around her, but eventually that wouldn't be enough.

"Of course you can. I think it would be good for people to know that we're only friends," she said, headed for the door.

"Yeah...only friends..."

Riley walked out into the corridor, which was empty. She wanted to go see Harry. He was saying something before the bell stopped him, and now she was curious to know what it was. Draco trailed behind, looking like he was having a hard time. He would have to let it all out later; at the rate they were going, people were going to be thinking they were dating, which they certainly weren't. Not that she wouldn't if he asked, but she liked Harry.

He would probably be in the library with Ron and Hermione, or in the Gryffindor common room. She headed to the library, but only Hermione was there, nose in a book like usual.

"Hermione," Riley whispered, and she looked up and around, then spotted Riley.

"Hi Riley! Come here for a second," she said, and Draco followed Riley to the table Hermione was sitting at.

"Where's Harry? He was telling me something before the bell rang, and now it's driving me crazy," said Riley, and Hermione pointed to a row of books.

"Thanks, Hermione. Draco, wait here for a minute," she said, and he took a seat opposite Hermione. Riley walked over to the bookshelf Hermione pointed at, and looked on both sides. On the left side was Harry, and on the right was Ron. Harry was scanning the shelf, probably looking for something to help him in Potions. She walked over to him, and he nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw her.

"Oh, hey Riley," he said, beaming at her.

"Harry, you were saying something before I left...what was it?" she asked, and he started blushing.

"I was saying that...I um, that I..." Riley felt her heart racing, and she had a good idea of what he was going to say, "I really like you and I was wondering if we could go out sometime?" he said quickly, getting it over with. Riley looked down at her shoes, screaming victory cheers in her mind, and looked back up at him, smiling.

"Of course, Harry!" she said, and flung her arms around his neck.

"So, does that mean we're going out now?" he asked, not nervous anymore.

"I think it does..." said Riley, feeling happier than she ever had in her entire life. Oh no, Draco...she just left him there with Hermione.

"Meet me at the lake at five thirty, I have a surprise for you," he said, and she gave him a peck on the lips.

When she stepped out from the bookshelf, Hermione immediately looked in her direction, and knew what the huge grin on Riley's face meant.

"So?" asked Hermione as Riley took the seat next to Draco, who was looking miserable.

"We're dating!" Riley squealed and Hermione's face lit up.

"Oh, really! That's wonderful, Riley!" Hermione squealed back. Draco looked as if he had just been told his mother died a tragic death and his father was the one who did it.

"I have to go get something from my room, I'll see you in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Riley," he said, and walked out of the library.

"He's really changed," said Hermione, a sympathetic look on her face. "It's as if he's a new person...and I think he likes you Riley...no, judging by that reaction, I think he loves you."


	3. Chapter 3

Draco forced himself to walk back to the Slytherin common room instead of sprint. _So this is what the Dark Lord meant about pain...but why Potter?_ He thought bitterly. He yelled the password at the portrait and it glared at him. No one was in the common room save three seventh years studying for their next class. He stomped up the stairs to the boys' dormitories and saw an envelope addressed to him. He picked it up and just stared at it. The Dark Lord told him that there was more to the deal, and he didn't want to know what it was. Reluctantly, he ripped it open and unfolded the letter.

_Draco_

_By now, this girl should have caused you a rather small amount of pain compared to the other things that she will do. Remember; don't utter a word about this to anyone. To add onto your punishment, I have issued you a time limit. The moment your eyes meet the bottom of the page, a timer will begin. You have until the last day of term to make her your fiancé, and the marriage arrangements will be made for you...Sound too good to be true? To a point, it is. You're first-born will be taken from you to serve my heir at the age of three, who will be the same age. A girl, preferably. I would not have given you a chance to escape death if there wasn't the possibility of success. If you fail, you come to me to receive the Dark Mark; I'm sure you didn't want it, since you ran back to Hogwarts so quickly._

_You're time begins...now_

Draco dropped the letter when it burst into flames, the ashes falling to the floor. _Even after I get Riley to marry me, life still won't be perfect...so long as she's with me, her life will never be perfect..._ he thought, sitting on his bed with his head in his hands. It started as a few tears, but once he let the first one fall they just wouldn't stop coming. _Maybe I don't deserve to live..._He crawled under the blankets and buried his face into his pillow and cried himself back to sleep.

"He _did _seem more distressed than usual..." said Riley, and Hermione nodded.

"Just imagine Harry dating the one person you hate the most, and being happy with her. I thought I would never say this, but I feel almost sorry for Malfoy..." said Hermione, barely believing the words coming out of her mouth. Harry walked up from behind Riley and took the empty seat next to her.

"Hello again, Harry," said Riley, blushing when he held her hand under the table. Hermione was beaming at them.

"Remember, five thirty...I have to go and get my books. I forget them this morning," he said and Riley nodded. He kissed her on the cheek and she blushed like mad.

"So where's Ron, Hermione?" Riley asked, and it was Hermione's turn to blush.

"I'm not sure, he said he had to go do something...and he told me to meet him at five thirty as well..." she said, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Hm, what are they planning?" muttered Riley, and the bell rang.

Hermione and Riley picked up their book bags and headed to Defense Against the Dark Arts. On the way, they met up with Ron and Harry. Harry held Riley's hand all the way to Professor Lupin's classroom, and hastily let go when her father grinned at them. They took seats in the middle of the classroom, and Riley looked around to see her classmates. Draco wasn't there yet, and Riley started to worry once her father began his lecturing.

Halfway through the class, Filch told Riley she was to do detention with him once her classes ended at three o'clock, and to tell Professor Lupin that he found a boggart in the Astronomy Tower that he needed to get rid of.

The homework that was assigned was the amount to be expected for their seventh year at Hogwarts. Next was Charms, a place where you could keep a conversation quiet, and still work at the same time.

Professor Flitwick gave the beginning of the year lecture as well, and gave them a list of charms to have down in two weeks. They were difficult, but it was possible to memorize them in two weeks. Riley looked around the room, and still no Draco. Where was he?

They were let loose to start performing the spells on their list, and Harry, Ron and Hermione gathered in a corner. Riley followed them, but she was starting to get really worried about Draco. He could be anywhere; doing anything...he could be hurt, he could be dead for all she knew. The worry must have reached her face, because Ron looked at her funny.

"What's bothering you Riley?" Ron asked, noticing her worried face.

"Nothing..." she said, and he shrugged. Hermione knew exactly what she was worried about.

Lunch arrived after Charms, and Riley was starving. She was sure that if Draco was okay, he would either be in the Slytherin common room or the Great Hall during lunch. She joined Harry at the Gryffindor table, and even though she was starving she poked at her food.

"There's something wrong, Riley, why don't you tell us what it is?" Harry asked, but Hermione touched his shoulder and shook her head. She stood up and motioned for Riley to follow. Without saying a single word to the guys, they left. Hermione took her to an empty classroom on the first floor, and rounded on her.

"Hermione, I can't stop worrying about him! I can't tell Harry that I'm losing it because Draco's missing from class! He wouldn't understand..." said Riley, tears forming in her eyes.

"He loves you Riley...he will understand anything. If you want me to tell him, I will. You shouldn't worry about Draco so much. He's old enough to take care of himself," said Hermione, but it didn't do anything about the worry churning in Riley's stomach.

"I just...I can try, but I don't think it's going to work..." said Riley, and Hermione shook her head.

"You may be worried about Draco, Riley, but Harry, Ron and I are worried about _you_. You look just as miserable as Draco...something other than worry is bothering you," she said, and the tears fell down Riley's cheeks.

"I know every last thing that has happened to him, Hermione...it haunts _me_ and it didn't even happen to me...he's been through as much in a year as Harry has in three...he's only seventeen, Hermione! _I'm_ only seventeen! All of us, and between Harry and Draco, this class of seventh years has been the most involved with You-Know-Who since _he_ was in Hogwarts," sobbed Riley, and Hermione hugged her. "And I'm involved with all three of them...I'm dating Harry, I'm helping Draco, and Draco has told me things that could get me killed for even knowing..."

"We should get back to the Great Hall before they come looking for us...it's going to be alright, Riley...everything will come out okay," said Hermione, and Riley nodded. Riley's eyes were all bloodshot and puffy from crying, but she ignored it as if it didn't exist.

"We might want to get going if we want to make it to the dungeons in time," said Riley, avoiding Harry's face, staring at her plate.

"Riley, we have twenty minutes before we have to leave to make it on time. Why won't you look at me?" asked Harry, and Riley forced herself to look into his green eyes. It made her want to cry again. He would think she had feelings for Draco if he knew she was worried sick about him. He pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear.

"If you ever need anything at all, just come to me, okay?"

Once it was time for them the walk down to the dungeons for Potions class, Riley was even more worried about Draco. He didn't come down to lunch, and he wasn't sitting in Professor Slughorn's classroom. He gave the same sort of speech as the rest of the teachers, and assigned them to brew a potion from the year before as a review. Riley was following the directions subconsciously with her mind elsewhere. Once the class was almost over, Crabbe and Goyle burst through the door, panting.

"What is Merlin's name are you two doing in here?" asked Professor Slughorn, and it was Crabbe who spoke.

"It's Malfoy, Professor. He won't get out of bed or eat or drink anything. He won't talk to anyone or let anyone up into the room. Everyone who has tried has been yelled at, and told to leave immediately. He asked for a Riley Lupin," said Crabbe. It had to be the most intelligent thing he had ever said. "And you might want to hurry...Pansy said she saw blood."

Riley thought she was going to faint, but she abandoned her potion and sprinted as fast as she could to the Slytherin common room entrance. Everything inside of her went cold, and her mind was blank.

"Let me in!" she screamed at the portrait, tears running at a steady pace down her face.

"Password?" it asked, unaware of anything that was happening.

"Forget the password! Just let me in, damn it!" she screamed even louder, but Goyle gave the password once the portrait was in earshot. It swung open reluctantly, allowing her in.

Shoving people out of the way, she went up the stairs to the boys' dormitories and someone standing outside the door pointed to the one across from him, and she nearly broke the door down fumbling with the doorknob. When the door finally opened, she saw Draco lying motionless in his bed, and Pansy was right. There was blood.

"Draco! Are you insane? What have you done...?" she yelled through her sobs, stumbling over to him. She clutched him to her chest, crying into his robes. She spotted a dagger with blood on it, but she heard a quiet moan and set him back down. She checked his arms, and on the inside of his left forearm, there was a long, diagonal cut from the inside of his elbow to his wrist. There was no way she would be able to get him to the Hospital wing before he died...

"Draco? I need you to do something for me, okay? Please try and stay alive...I'm begging you, Draco! Do it for me, please!" she shouted, and he gave her a small nod, and the smallest of smiles. Sobbing uncontrollably, she tore the entire sleeve off of her mother's old robes and ripped it to create a type of gauze. She tightly wrapped his left forearm with it and tried to find a way to carry him. He wasn't exactly the lightest thing to carry. She smacked herself on the forehead, and pulled out her wand. She muttered a spell and levitated him out of the room. Jumping down anyone's throat who spoke to her while crying at the same time, she left the Slytherin common room. Once in the corridor, she ran faster than she ever thought she could to the Hospital wing. She caused a huge racket in the Great Hall when people tried asking her questions. She even yelled at Harry for trying to help her. Right then, she didn't feel guilty about it. Draco would kill her if he found out Harry even touched him.

"What is going _on_ out here!" shrieked Madame Pomfrey, but when she saw Riley and Draco, everything fell into place. Riley slowed down to a fast walk until she stopped to rest Draco on a bed. Madame Pomfrey unwrapped the piece of Riley's robe from Draco's forearm and gasped. Riley snatched the length of sleeve from her and watched her perform her magic. After a dose of a potion that created more blood for the body, she tried shooing Riley away.

"He'll be fine after some rest; you can get back to your classes now, Miss Lupin. Oh, and throw that filthy thing away," she said, indicating the bloody piece of robe. She ignored Madame Pomfrey and found a chair to sit in. She sat down and rested her head by Draco's shoulder, holding his uninjured arm. She put the bloodied and torn sleeve in her pocket, and held onto it. She'd never lost anyone before...well, other than her mother, but that was before she knew her. Draco told her everything, he trusted her...and he almost died because of her. She knew it had to be the fact she was going out with Harry...maybe she should end it with Harry, but that wouldn't be fair to _him_. She still really like him, but she would have to tell him that she couldn't come at five thirty today...not while Draco was still in the Hospital wing. She wouldn't leave until he woke up, no matter how many detentions she would get for disobeying Madame Pomfrey and skipping detention with Filch. It was worth every hour of detention she would have to serve, and she couldn't quite explain why.

After a few hours, and after many failed attempts by Madame Pomfrey to get Riley away from Draco's side, Harry, Ron and Hermione came into the Hospital wing to see what happened.

"I knew something was wrong...I just knew it..." said Riley before they could get a word in.

"Where did your sleeve go?" asked Ron, causing Riley to laugh for the first time that day.

"It's right here," she said, pulling her torn up sleeve out of her pocket, smiling.

"Oh, Riley...what happened?" asked Hermione, and Riley's smile faded.

"I ran to the Slytherin common room, to the boys' dormitories...I went to the room Draco was in, and he wasn't moving. Pansy said she saw blood, and she was right...it was all over his sheets, and he was paler than ever..." Riley started crying again, and Harry went over and held her before she went on. "That's when I lost it and ripped off my sleeve and wrapped his arm with it. I was so out of it, I forgot I was a witch...I tried to carry him, but then I snapped back to reality and levitated him. I screamed and yelled at anyone and everyone who tried to ask me anything...I am so sorry, Harry...I didn't mean to yell at you like that, and I don't think I can make it at five thirty with the horde of detentions coming my way," said Riley, completely dazed. She left out the part about begging him to stay alive; they would definitely take that the wrong way...she would tell Hermione later.

"I know you guys hate him, but he's done nothing wrong to me...he's been nothing but honest with me and was there when no one else was...however weird that may sound, it's true..." she said, and Harry let her go.

"Harry, Ron...I'll catch up with you later. I need to talk to Riley about something...you know, girl things," said Hermione, and they left without question. "Now that they're gone, what did you leave out?"

"I think the only reason he held on long enough for me to get him here was something I asked him...'Draco? I need you to do something for me, okay? Please try and stay alive...I'm begging you Draco! Do it for me, please!'..." said Riley, wiping her eyes.

"It was a good thing you left that out..." said Hermione cautiously.

"Oh no, you told Harry what was wrong with me this morning? What did he say...?"

"He didn't take it very well...first he started yelling at me, then apologizing, then wondering why. He doesn't understand how you can show compassion to him...he has never understood that part of you. He's never experienced it...he made a point to have me tell you that," said Hermione, and Riley sighed.

"I have two boys demanding my time. One of them I love, and the other...is unlike anyone I have ever known...Draco needs me, Hermione...Harry has you and Ron, and Draco only has me to come to. Just like I told all three of you...he's there when you aren't, and he just seems to say the right things at the right time..." said Riley, laying her head back down by Draco's shoulder.

"Anything else you need to tell me?" she asked, looking concerned.

"Please don't tell Harry...but, I think I might have feelings for Draco, even if they're subtle. They'll come out, but right now, Harry is the one I like, not Draco. You can let him know what I said to Draco if you think he's ready for it, and let him know he's the one I like...maybe it will make him feel better..." said Riley. Hermione nodded and left her to be with Draco alone in the Hospital wing.

Riley didn't know how long she was sitting in that chair, but Madame Pomfrey went to go get McGonagall, assuming that she could make Riley leave. She felt her eyelids get heavier and heavier. The last thing she remembered was holding onto Draco's arm like she had been for the past few hours before falling asleep.

Draco's eyes slowly eased open, and he saw the white ceiling of the Hospital wing. _How did I get here?_ He thought, and he felt something on his arm. He looked over to find Riley holding it, sleeping. Everything that happened that day came rushing back to him.

_He woke up to find that every Slytherin that had a free period was standing at the foot of his bed. _

_"What do you all think you're doing! Get out of here! All of you, now!" he yelled, and all but Crabbe and Goyle left. "That means you two goons as well! Get out of my sight!" _

_Remembering the letter from the Dark Lord, he tried finding a way to make Riley fall in love with him. After almost a half hour of thought, he came to a solution. She wouldn't have to live in a hell if he wasn't alive...Someone came through the door, and it was Blaise. _

_"Come on, Draco. Get out of bed, lunch is in the Great Hall, not our room," he said, but Draco just yelled at him too._

_"Out! What did I tell everyone! Get the bloody hell out of here!" he bellowed, making Blaise jump. He left silently, and Draco grabbed the dagger he kept under his pillow. Ever since the beginning of sixth year, he needed something in case of a sneak attack on him. He unsheathed it and slid the blade diagonally from the inside of his elbow to the inside of his wrist. His blood oozed out of his wound, and he dropped the dagger. Someone else came through the door, and it was Pansy. She screamed, and he laughed. _

_"Get me Riley...now, Pansy..." he said, and she nodded and ran out of the room. Riley was the only person he wanted to see. He started to feel dizzy, and everything went black. _

_"Draco! Are you insane? What have you done...?" yelled Riley's voice through her sobbing. She came over to him and he felt her hold onto him, crying into his robes. He felt horrible now...he was putting her through more pain now than he ever could...if he died today, she wouldn't outlive him by long..._

_"Draco? I need you to do something for me, okay? Please try and stay alive, I'm begging you Draco! Do it for me, please!" she shouted at him, crying harder than ever. He managed to nod and smile at her...just in case it would be the last time. He heard a tearing noise, and she began wrapping something around his injured arm. Weren't those robes the last thing she had to remember her mother by? She tried picking him up, and Draco began to wonder why she didn't just levitate him. Was she so terrified she forgot how? His doubts vanished when he floated up into the air. Everything else was a blur. He could hear her screaming, something he had never heard her do. Everything went black again, and he thought he was going to die. _

"Riley," he whispered, and she started muttering things in her sleep.

"Please Draco...don't go, you can't go...I won't let you," she said, and tears were rolling down her face. It pained him to see her like this.

"No...don't leave me here all alone, you're all that I've got..."

"You have Harry, remember?" he whispered, but she screwed up her face for a second and it returned to normal and she kept arguing with him.

"But Draco...it's not what I want, I want to be with _you_, forever and always...if you die, I'm taking that dagger and stabbing myself in the heart with it..." That was a tear-jerker.

"But I'm going to be okay," he whispered back, seeing what else she had to say.

"No, no you're not...Draco? Come back! No! Wake up, please! Don't leave me here! DRACO!" she was shouting by the end of her sentence, and he shook her awake.

"Wha—What happened? Oh, Draco...you're alright...I was having the most terrifying nightmare," she said smiling. _No doubt,_ he thought.

"How long have you been here?" he asked, and she looked at the clock.

"Since one forty five," she said, and he decided to check the clock himself. It was almost seven.

"How did you manage to stay in here that long?" he asked, and she shrugged.

"When Madame Pomfrey left to go get McGonagall, I think I fell asleep. That was about three or four hours ago," said Riley, and she blinked a couple times.

"What about detention?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Slept through it," she said, smirking.

"What about your five thirty date with Potter?"

"Slept through it," she said, and he laughed.

The next few weeks of school went by uneventful, and rumors about Riley and Draco ran rampant. Even though she was still dating Harry, the feelings for Draco that she predicted would come out were getting stronger and stronger everyday. The full moon was approaching, and she tried finding ways to predict whether she would change fully or not change at all. Taking the potion made the chances of changing and being calm more probable, but behaving like a werewolf when she was still human scared her. The last time that happened, she woke up with cuts and scratches all over her legs and stomach, and then to add onto it her entire body was almost all black and blue from falling off a small cliff she woke up at the bottom of.

"Riley," said Harry, who was sitting next to her during breakfast. Only three days until the full moon...

"Yeah, Harry?"

"Do you remember the day you were supposed to meet me at five thirty?" he asked smiling, and Riley blushed while she answered.

"I'm really sorry about that Harry..."

"Oh, no it's alright. I know I would want you there if it happened to me, anyway, that's beside the point. Now, can you meet me today at five thirty?" he asked, and Riley's heart lifted.

"Of course I can, I served all of my detention," Riley's mouth twisted over the word "detention".

"Okay, that's great. Remember, by the lake..." he said, and Riley kissed him. She hardly ever did that in public. His eyes widened, and kissed her back. When they broke apart, there were whistles and cat calls coming from all over the Gryffindor table, which just make Riley's cheeks redden even more.

After that day in the Hospital wing, Draco's feelings for Riley just grew. She skipped a date with her boyfriend to stay with him until he woke up. That _had_ to mean _something_. She even skipped detention, and that was something not even Pansy would do for him.

He was sitting at the Slytherin table eating breakfast, staring at Riley, who was sitting at the Gryffindor table with Harry. He was surprised they were still dating after the stunt she pulled at the Hospital wing. Across the room, he saw Riley lock lips with Potter, wishing it was him instead of Harry.

How could he repay her for saving his life and being there for him? Normally, he would give any other ordinary girl the opportunity to snog with him. With Riley though, she would rather die than cheat on Harry. _The full moon..._he thought. It was going to be a full moon in three days, and Riley was half werewolf. This might just turn out to his advantage...Harry didn't know where Riley went when she transformed, and didn't know what happened when she transformed; Draco did. He would come to her in her time of need, just like she did for him.

The bell rang, and everyone in the Great Hall started bustling about, getting their things and heading off to class. Harry kissed Riley this time instead of the other way around, and she went off to find Draco. She dedicated the first free period of her day to him, and sometimes the first and second, depending on what they talked about. It wasn't about You-Know-Who anymore, it was more just talking. After talking to him about his troubles in sixth year for an entire week, talking to him became a habit in the mornings. Riley had to lie to Harry about what they talked about, because first, it was none of his business. Second, Harry would insist that she never spoke to him again.

She found Draco waiting for her at the Slytherin table, as always. The only thing different today was that there was an odd look on his face, something that said, "I'm trying, I'm failing, and I don't like it."

Once they reached the Room of Requirement, Draco dropped onto the couch, slouching. Riley sat next to him, and he sighed, refusing to look at her.

"Draco, if you have something to say to me, just get it over with and say it," said Riley, getting irritated. She _knew_ he liked her, but he refused to admit it. Kissing Harry had to be the reason he wasn't looking at her. She didn't expect him to admit it today or any day, but she knew it was true.

"Okay, Riley, since you seem to want to know so badly," he said bitterly, and Riley blinked.

"Every time you smile at him, touch him, kiss him...I wish it was me, and I hate you for it. I thought killing myself would make things better for the both of us, but I held on because you asked me to...if it was anyone else I would have died and things _would_ be easier, Riley. You won't be able to know everything about me, because I'll die if I tell you...and if you didn't want me to die, I wouldn't be here right now...I'm here for you, Riley!" he was yelling by the end of his sentence, and Riley was stock still. She couldn't move, and she couldn't speak. _He heard me? He stayed alive just for me? Oh, Merlin..._she thought, and a surge of emotions billowed inside of her, emotions she had never felt before.

"Do you feel it now?" he asked quietly as if he knew it would happen. Did he put love potion in something? No, he would never sink that low, not even for her. This is Draco Malfoy were talking about here...was it something he did to the ring?

"Draco, please tell me you didn't use magic to do this," she said, closing her eyes.

"What? Why would I do that? No, I didn't use magic to make you fall in love with me, Riley..."

Riley stood up and walked over to a shelf. On it sat a goblet half full of water, and a small glass bottle filled with clear liquid. She uncorked the small glass bottle and dumped its contents into the water. _I need to know what's going on,_ thought Riley, and walked back over to Draco.

"Here, drink this," she said, holding out the goblet.

"You take a drink first," he said, suspicious of her. She knew she would never find out...she took a drink of her own potion and handed it to him.

"Is there Veritaserum in there?" he asked, and she nodded. He sighed, but drank it anyway.

"Draco, what are you doing? I'm going to ask you things that could get you killed!" said Riley, and he shrugged.

"You were going to find out sooner or later...I'm being influenced by a potion, I don't think he'll pay much mind to that...I'll pretend that I didn't know the water had Veritaserum in it..." he said, and looked her straight in the eyes.

"What did you do with my ring when you saw it for the first time?" she asked, and he sighed.

"I performed a spell on it to prove it was the one I was looking for," he said.

"Why were you looking for it?"

"It was my punishment for failing."

"What is your punishment?" she asked, and he closed his eyes while he said it.

"I failed the Dark Lord and he put that ring in a random house for a random girl to find. I had to find the girl with the ring, and the moment I perform the confirmation spell I was doomed to love her for the rest of my life. We would be bound by the heart, and she wouldn't realize it until I could somehow talk her into marrying me. He said she would cause me more pain than death ever could...in other words; I have until the end of term to become _your_ fiancé, or I am to receive the Dark Mark and serve You-Know-Who until I die...I'll kill myself before that happens," he said, and Riley was dumbstruck for the second time that day.

"What do you mean by more pain than death?" she asked, tears in her eyes.

"Well, because of what the spell did, I love you like I would my own wife, and seeing you and Potter together...was enough to kill me...if we even get married at all, it'll still be bad..."

"What! It gets worse? Please, tell me..." said Riley, wiping her eyes.

"Our first child will be a daughter, but we'll have to give her up to the Dark Lord to serve his heir at three years old...after hearing all of this, I couldn't put you through all of that...so if I died, you could be happy with Harry, and I could be out of your mind..." said Draco, head in his hands.

"How can you even say that you could escape my mind? You're _always_ on my mind. I'm always wondering what you're doing, what you're thinking, how you're doing...even more than Harry. I never realized it until now...I think I fell for you, Draco Malfoy..." said Riley, and then covered her mouth. She forgot she took the Veritaserum as well...

He stared at her, face expressionless. She just stared into his eyes, those cold, grey-blue eyes.

"Do you really love me?" he asked, never taking his eyes away from hers. She had a whole minute to answer, and it was fighting to get out. She bit her lip, holding it back. Ten seconds passed. Twenty seconds. Twenty-five. Three, two, one...

"Yes!" she yelled, and threw her arms around him. She never wanted to leave that spot; she wanted to just have him hold her for the rest of her life. So that's what that whole surge of emotions was for...it was all for him...

She felt the Veritaserum wear off, and just when Draco was about to kiss her, she stopped him.

"Draco, I need to break up with Harry first...it will be bad enough for him, but knowing I cheated on him won't make it any better...please, I know of your roles were switched you wouldn't have wanted me to cheat on you minutes before I broke up with you..." said Riley, holding him an arm's length away.

Harry was in for quite the surprise.


End file.
